Automated adjustment system for star wheel

ABSTRACT

A universally adjustable star wheel for conveying articles on an automated handling line is disclosed. In one embodiment, the adjustable star wheel includes rotatable elements that are configured to rotate around a central axis. Each rotatable element has a central axis, a periphery, and at least one control surface for assisting in controlling the article being conveyed. The control surfaces on the rotatable elements are arranged to together form at least one pocket for the article, wherein the pocket has a width and a depth. The angle defining the control surface on at least one rotatable element is different from the angle of another rotatable element to form the depth of at least a portion of the pocket. In this embodiment, the boundaries of the pocket are configured solely by at least partially rotating at least some of the rotatable elements to adjust the location of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements to form a pocket for the article being conveyed. An automated adjustment mechanism for adjusting a star wheel to accommodate different articles is also disclosed. The automated adjustment mechanism may be used with any suitable star wheel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an adjustable star wheel conveyorfor conveying articles on an automated handling line, and moreparticularly to an adjustable star wheel with relatively few movingparts that can accommodate a virtually unlimited number of size andshape articles. An automated adjustment mechanism for adjusting anadjustable star wheel to accommodate different articles is alsodisclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Star wheels are used on various types of automated handling lines toconvey containers to and from, and within, various machines, such asrotary packaging machines. In particular, star wheels are used to conveycontainers between rectilinear conveyors to a rotating machine and backto a rectilinear conveyor. Such star wheels may be used with a number ofcontainers that include bottles, cans and tins. The various rotarypackaging machines may perform various functions, e.g. cleaning,filling, capping or labeling a container.

Star wheels are generally disk shaped and their periphery contains aplurality of recesses or pockets thereby forming a star-shape. Otherstar wheels have circular peripheries with projecting fingers to engagethe containers, and the fingers lend a general star-shape to the starwheel. Star wheels rotate about a central axis and generally comprise apair of disk-like plates centered on this axis. Recesses may be providedin the peripheries of the disks to form pockets for receiving containerstherein. The star wheel is positioned on an automated handling line sothat a container travelling down the handling line is received within apocket as the star wheel rotates. The container is retained within thepocket as the star wheel rotates before being released at a definedpoint.

Containers are generally retained within a pocket by supporting thecontainer between a pair of contact surfaces that urge the containeragainst a guide rail that encircles at least part of the star wheel'speriphery. A second type of star wheel provides an alternative form ofsupport by providing pairs of jaws to grip the container about itssides. This design does not need disks to define peripheral recesses.

A star wheel may convey a container to a closely-defined point within arotary packaging machine or along a closely-defined path through arotary packaging machine. For example, the container may be a bottlewith a narrow neck that is presented to a filling machine: whenpresented, the neck of the bottle must be on the correct path such thatit passes exactly beneath a filling nozzle. Thus, it is important thatthe center of the container follows a predetermined path and that theposition of the bottle in the direction of travel is accuratelycontrolled.

In general, any automated handling line may be used to processcontainers of varying shapes and sizes. In the past, each star wheelcould only handle containers of a specific shape and size, so this meanthaving to change the star wheel each time a different container wasintroduced onto a handling line. This is undesirable as it is both timeconsuming and necessitates having to keep a stock of different-sizedstar wheels. Attempts have been made to overcome this problem.

Such attempts are described in the patent literature, and include, butare not limited to devices described in: U.S. Pat. No. 1,981,641; U.S.Pat. No. 2,324,312; U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,154; U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,112;U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,695; U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,599; U.S. Pat. No.5,082,105; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,320; U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,753; U.S. Pat.No. 7,398,871 B1; U.S. 2007/0271871 A1; DE 19903319A; EP 0 355 971 B1;EP 0 401 698 B1; EP 0 412 059 B1; EP 0 659 683 B1; EP 0 894 544 A2; EP 1663 824 B1; JP Publication JP 10035879 A; PCT WO 2005/030616 A2; PCT WO2009/040531 A1. Adjustable guide rails are described the patentliterature as well, including in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No.5,540,320 and PCT WO 2005/030616 A2, and in U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,150 B2and PCT WO 2005/123553 A1.

However, such devices often have very complex mechanical arrangementsfor attempting to provide adjustability. Such mechanical arrangementsfrequently include piston type elements that move inwardly and outwardlyto set the depth of the pocket for the articles being conveyed. Otherdevices have adjustable fingers with complicated mechanisms to adjustthe orientation of the fingers. Still other devices have multiplerotating disks with locking pins that limit the size and shape of thepockets that can be formed for the articles being conveyed, particularlythe depth of the pockets. The search for improved star wheels has,therefore, continued. In particular, it is desirable to provide asimpler device that is adjustable to fit more article shapes and sizesthan prior devices, and can be automatically adjusted from a CAD programcontaining data on the shape of the article to be conveyed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an adjustable star wheel conveyorfor conveying articles on an automated handling line, and moreparticularly to an adjustable star wheel with relatively few movingparts that can accommodate a virtually unlimited number of size andshape articles.

There are numerous non-limiting embodiments of the present invention. Inone non-limiting embodiment, the adjustable star wheel includesrotatable elements, such as disks that are configured to rotate around acentral axis. Each rotatable element has a center, a periphery, and atleast one control surface for assisting in controlling the article beingconveyed. The control surfaces on the rotatable elements are arranged totogether form at least one pocket for the article, wherein the pockethas a width and a depth. The angle defining the control surface on atleast one rotatable element is different from the angle of anotherrotatable element to form the depth of at least a portion of the pocket.In this embodiment, the boundaries of the pocket are configured solelyby at least partially rotating at least some of the rotatable elementsto adjust the location of the control surfaces of the differentrotatable elements to form a pocket for the article being conveyed.

An automated adjustment mechanism for adjusting an adjustable star wheelto accommodate different articles is also disclosed. The automatedadjustment mechanism may be used with any suitable adjustable starwheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description will be more fully understood in viewof the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an adjustablestar wheel together with an adjustable guide rail and a computer forautomatically adjusting the star wheel to fit different articles.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable star wheel in FIG. 1 withthe several of the motors removed to show the underlying structure.

FIG. 3 is top plan view of the adjustable star wheel and guide rail inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the adjustable star wheel and guide rail inFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the adjustable star wheel transportingbottles with angled necks.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the components of thestar wheel shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7A is a top view of the first disk of the embodiment shown inFIG. 1. FIG. 7A shows the location of the pinion in the opening in thedisk. FIG. 7A also shows a schematic cross-section of the portion of abottle that is contacted by the contact surface on the first disk.

FIG. 7B is a top view of the second disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the seconddisk.

FIG. 7C is a top view of the third disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the third disk.

FIG. 7D is a top view of the fourth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the fourthdisk.

FIG. 7E is a top view of the fifth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the fifth disk.

FIG. 7F is a top view of the sixth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the sixth disk.

FIG. 7G is a top view of the seventh disk of the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for theseventh disk.

FIG. 7H is a top view of the eighth disk of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 showing similar elements to those shown in FIG. 7A for the eighthdisk.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the adjustable star wheel in FIG. 3 with theguide rail removed and one bottle in place in a pocket.

FIG. 8A is a fragmented plan view showing one pair of disks of the starwheel shown in FIG. 8 contacting a bottle (which is shown incross-section).

FIG. 8B is a fragmented plan view showing another pair of disks of thestar wheel contacting the bottle at a different location on the bottle.

FIG. 8C is a fragmented plan view showing another pair of disks of thestar wheel contacting the bottle at another different location on thebottle.

FIG. 8D is a fragmented plan view showing another pair of disks of thestar wheel contacting the bottle at another different location on thebottle.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a star wheel having loops joined todisks to form the control surfaces.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the pinion and geararrangement for one of the disks shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a star wheel conveyor having analternative type of adjustment mechanism in the form of a tapered pinfor inserting into slots in the disks.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 11 showing the tapered pininserted into one of the slots in the disks.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 14-14 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a star wheel conveyor having anotheralternative type of adjustment mechanism in the form of quick changecams or keys.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portion of the star wheel shown inFIG. 15, with the top four disks, top plate, and intermediate plateremoved.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cams shown in FIG.16 that is in an engaged position.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cams shown in FIG.16 that is in a disengaged position.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a star wheel conveyor shown in FIG. 15with two of the keys removed. One of the keys is suspended above thestar wheel assembly and is ready for insertion.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 20-20 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 21-21 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an adjustable guide rail for the starwheel conveyor.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged, partially cut away perspective view of theadjustment mechanism for the adjustable guide rail shown in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the adjustable guide rail shown in FIG.22, shown with the guide rail adjusted to the minimum diameter.

FIG. 25 is a top plan view of the adjustable guide rail shown in FIG.22, shown with the guide rail adjusted to the maximum diameter.

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26-26 of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a schematic perspective view of a pair of adjustable starwheel conveyors capable of transferring articles therebetween.

The embodiment of the system shown in the drawings is illustrative innature and is not intended to be limiting of the invention defined bythe claims. Moreover, the features of the invention will be more fullyapparent and understood in view of the detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to an adjustable (or “reconfigurable”)star wheel conveyor (or simply an “adjustable star wheel” or “starwheel”). The adjustable star wheel may have relatively few moving partsand may be universally accommodate a virtually unlimited number of sizeand shape articles. Automated and manual adjustment mechanisms foradjusting an adjustable star wheel to accommodate different articles arealso disclosed.

FIG. 1 shows one non-limiting embodiment of a system comprising anadjustable star wheel conveyor 20 for conveying three dimensionalarticles 22 around an arcuate path. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,the system comprises the adjustable star wheel 20, an adjustable guiderail assembly (or “adjustable guide rail”) 24, and an automatedadjustment mechanism that includes a computer 26 for adjusting theadjustable star wheel 20 and/or adjustable guide rail 24 to accommodatedifferent size and/or shape articles 22. The automated adjustmentmechanism may be used with any suitable adjustable star wheel.

The star wheel 20 can be used to convey numerous different types ofthree dimensional articles 22. Such articles include, but are notlimited to: bottles, cans, containers, razors, razor blade heads andhandles, tampon tubes, and deodorant stick containers. While the starwheel 20 can easily transport conventionally-shaped articles (e.g.,cylindrical, and/or symmetrical articles), the star wheel 20 isparticularly suited to transport and control articles having shapes thatare challenging to transport by conventional means, including knowntypes of adjustable star wheels. The star wheel 20 can, for example, beused to transport: bottles with non-flat or rounded bottoms that wouldbe unstable on a horizontal surface; bottles with small bases that willeasily tip; bottles with angled and/or off-center necks; asymmetricalbottles; bottles of non-constant cross-section, etc.

One such bottle is shown in FIGS. 2-4. The bottle 22 shown in FIGS. 2-4is an example of a bottle having a rounded bottom that would be unstableon a horizontal surface. In addition, as shown from the top view in FIG.3, the bottle 22 is also asymmetrical in that it has ellipticalcross-sections that are twisted so that the cross-sections are not inalignment along the bottle's height. FIG. 5 shows an example of a bottle22 with an angled neck. As shown in FIG. 5, this bottle 22 must be heldat an angle with its bottom tilted relative to a horizontal surface inorder to fill the same.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the star wheel conveyor 20 comprises aplurality of rotatable elements, which may be in the form of rotatabledisks, designated generally by reference number 30. Although the term“disks” may be used in this description to describe several embodiments,it should be understood that whenever the term “disk” is used, it may bereplaced with the term “rotatable element”. The rotatable elements 30are stacked and may be said to be concentric in that they have a commoncenter although the center of each rotatable element 30 typically liesin a different plane.

The star wheel conveyor 20 may further optionally comprise a base plate32, an intermediate plate 33 (shown in FIG. 6), and a top plate 34. Thebase plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and top plate 34 can be of anysuitable size and shape. The base plate 32 can be stationary, or it canrotate. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the base plate 32,intermediate plate 33, and the top plate 34 are circular. In theembodiment shown, the base plate 32 has a diameter approximately thesame size, or slightly greater than that of the outermost portion of theperiphery 54 of the disks 30. The periphery and other portions of thedisks 30 are shown in detail in FIGS. 7A to 7H. The intermediate plate33 and top plate 34 have a diameter approximately the same size as theportions of the disks 30 without the projections 58. In this embodiment,the base plate 32, intermediate plate 33, and the top plate 34 allrotate with the star wheel assembly when the pocket size is fixed.However, it should be understood that the rotating the base plate 32 isoptional, and in other embodiments, the rotatable base plate 32 could bereplaced by a flat stationary plate that may, for example, be largerthan the remaining portions of the star wheel, and the articles 22 mayslide on such a stationary base plate. Providing a rotating base plate32 may, however, eliminate this sliding and any accompanying scuffing ofthe bottom of the articles 22.

The rotatable elements 30 and the plates (base plate 32, intermediateplate 33, and top plate 34) can be made of any suitable materials, orcombinations of materials. Suitable materials include, but are notlimited to metals and plastics, such as: stainless steel; aluminum(e.g., anodized aluminum): acetal resin (such as DuPont's DELRIN® acetalresin); and, polycarbonate. The rotatable elements 30 and the plates canbe machined in the desired configuration, and then assembled togetheralong with the other components of the star wheel conveyor 20 by anysuitable known manufacturing methods.

As shown in FIG. 4, the star wheel conveyor 20 comprises a shaft 36about which the rotatable elements 30 may at least partially rotate. Atleast one of the rotatable elements 30 may at least partially rotate ina clockwise direction, a counterclockwise direction, or both directions.The fact that the rotatable elements 30 may rotate in both directionsallows the rotatable elements to rotate at least slightly to bring thecontact or control surfaces 60 in contact with, or in close proximityto, the article being conveyed. The rotatable elements 30 may, but neednot, be able to rotate 360 degrees in both clockwise andcounterclockwise directions. The rotatable elements 30 may, for example,rotate less than 360 degrees in the clockwise direction to bring thecontrol surfaces 60 in contact with the article being conveyed. Itshould be understood that even though the term “contact” is used in manyplaces in this specification, often one or more of the disks 30 may notactually contact the article 22. The term “contact”, as used withreference to the articles 22, may be replaced throughout this patentapplication with the phrase “brought into proximity with” the articles22. The rotatable elements 30 may then rotate counterclockwise once theposition of the article has been fixed in the star wheel conveyor, inorder to convey the article. Alternatively, the rotatable elements 30may rotate less than 360 degrees in the counterclockwise direction tobring the control surfaces 60 in contact with the article beingconveyed. The rotatable elements may then rotate clockwise once theposition of the article has been fixed in the star wheel conveyor, inorder to convey the article.

In this embodiment, the star wheel conveyor 20 comprises an adjustmentmechanism 40. Numerous different types of adjustment mechanisms arepossible. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the adjustment mechanism40 comprises at least one motor 42 that is operably connected to atleast one alignment mechanism 44 for aligning (or adjusting therotational position of) the rotatable disks 30. The alignment mechanism44 in this embodiment comprises pinion gears 38 that are located on themotors' drive shafts 46, and the pinion gears (or “pinions”) 38 meshwith gears 48 on the rotatable disks 30. The cooperation between thepinions 38 and the gears 48 on the disks 30 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 10.

The star wheel 20 may comprise any suitable number of rotatable elementsor disks 30. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable for the starwheel 20 to comprise at least four, five, six, seven, eight, or moredisks. In this particular embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the star wheelconveyor 20 comprises eight rotatable disks 30. The disks 30 are morespecifically designated as first disk 30A, second disk 30B, third disk30C, fourth disk 30D, fifth disk 30E, sixth disk 30F, seventh disk 30G,and eighth disk 30H. The star wheel 20 is rotatable around a centralaxis provided by a shaft or hub 36. The hub 36 can have a small diameteras shown in FIG. 4 or can be large in diameter, nearly filling the areaof the disks up to the recess 56. This would result in disks 30 thatresemble rings. The hub 36 can also be stepped in diameter and themating center holes 52 in the disks 30 can have various correspondingdiameters. Each of the disks 30 is configured to at least partiallyrotate in the same or opposite directions around the shaft 36. The disks30 cooperate to form at least one pocket 50 within which the articles 22being conveyed are held. There can be any suitable number of pockets 50formed by the disks 30. Suitable numbers of pockets 50 can range fromone or more, up to sixty, or more, pockets, depending on the size of thedisks 30 and the size of the articles 22 being conveyed. A typical rangeof the number of pockets 50 may be from about 4-15 pockets. In theembodiment shown in the drawings, there are 12 pockets 50.

The disks 30 may have any suitable configuration. The configuration ofthese particular disks 30 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6 and7A-7H. Each disk 30 has a central axis or center 52 and a periphery 54.The center 52 of the disks 30 has an opening for the shaft 36. The disks30 may have at least one recess 56 in their periphery 54. Alternatively,or additionally, the disks 30 may have an element or projection 58joined to the periphery 54 and extending outwardly therefrom to form the“point” of the star configuration. (It should be understood that thedisks 30 need not have a configuration that resembles a star, and theprojection that forms the star configuration need not terminate in apoint, but may terminate in rounded, flat, or other configurations.) Theportion of the disks 30 that form the recess 56, and/or the element 58extending outwardly from the periphery 54 forms at least one control orcontact surface 60 for assisting in controlling at least the location,and if needed, the orientation of the three dimensional article 22 beingconveyed. The element 58 may also have a side 62 opposite the controlsurface 60. The configuration of side 62 of the element 58 is lessimportant than that of the control surface 60.

The term “joined to”, as used in this specification, encompassesconfigurations in which an element is directly secured to anotherelement by affixing the element directly to the other element;configurations in which the element is indirectly secured to the otherelement by affixing the element to intermediate member(s) which in turnare affixed to the other element; and configurations in which oneelement is integral with another element, i.e., one element isessentially part of the other element. The term “joined to” encompassesconfigurations in which an element is secured to another element atselected locations, as well as configurations in which an element iscompletely secured to another element across the entire surface of oneof the elements.

The control surface 60 is joined to or near the periphery 54 of the disk30. The control surfaces 60 on the disks 30 together form at least onepocket 50 for the three dimensional articles 22. The pocket 50 has awidth, W, and a depth, D. It should be understood, however, that thewidth W and depth D of the pocket 50 may vary at the different planesdefined by the different disks 30 from the top to the bottom of the starwheel 20 to accommodate the configuration of the different portions ofthe cross-section of the articles 22 being conveyed.

The rotatable elements 30 are not limited to elements in the form ofdisks. The rotatable elements 30 can be in any suitable configurationthat is capable of rotating and providing the desired control surfaces60 to form pockets for the articles. For example, FIG. 9 shows a starwheel conveyor 20 having elements in the form of loops 58 joined to thedisks 30 to form the control surfaces 60. It will be appreciated thatthe portions of the star wheel conveyor 20, such as the rotatableelements 30, may need to be cleaned particularly if the star wheelconveyor 20 is used to convey bottles to a liquid filling machine. Starwheel conveyors having rotatable elements in such other configurationsmay be cleaned more easily. The rotatable elements 30 may also compriseof more than one piece so that the rotatable elements can be split forassembly around fixed equipment or to reduce the size for fabricationand assembly.

The various rotatable elements (e.g., disks) 30 in the stack ofrotatable elements will typically have at least two differentconfigurations. In various embodiments, there can be any suitable numberof different disk 30 configurations ranging from two, three, four, five,six, or more, different disk configurations up to a different diskconfiguration equal to the total number of disks 30. Fewer numbers ofdifferent configurations may, however, be better from a cost standpointdue to the cost of designing and manufacturing the disks 30. Thedifferent disks 30 can have any suitable configurations.

FIG. 6 and FIGS. 7A-7H show one example of the different disk 30configurations that may be used in the adjustable star wheel conveyor20. FIGS. 7A to 7H show that in this particular embodiment where eightdisks are used, there are basically two different disk configurations.The two basic configurations are that of disk 30A shown in FIG. 7A anddisk 30C shown in FIG. 7C. The disks shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7G, and 7Hall have the same configuration, a first configuration. The disks shownin FIGS. 7C, 7D, 7E, and 7F all have the same configuration, a secondconfiguration. These particular disks 30 may be thought of as resemblingcircular saw blades with gaps (where there are no teeth) between their“teeth-like” projections 58. The disks 30 of the adjustable star wheel20, of course, need not be sharp edged. The arrow in the center of thedisk 30A shows the direction of star wheel 20 rotation as beingclockwise in this particular embodiment. Thus, this particular starwheel 20 (when the configuration of the pockets 50 is set and the disks30 are locked in place) will be rotating clockwise in order to transportthe bottles 22. It should be understood that in other embodiments, thestar wheel 20 may also, or alternatively, be capable of rotating in thecounterclockwise direction. The overall rotation of the star wheel 20should not be confused with the rotation of the individual disks 30. Itshould, thus, be understood, that the disks 30 are capable of at leastpartially rotating in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directionsin order to set the configuration of the pockets 50 to fit the article22 being conveyed.

The disks 30 with the different configurations can be stacked from topto bottom in any suitable order and orientation. Two or more of thedisks 30 with the same configuration may be adjacent to each other inthe stack of disks 30. Alternatively, the disks with the sameconfiguration may be arranged so that they are not adjacent and there isat least one disk of a different configuration therebetween. The disks30 with the same configuration may have the same side of the disk facingupward. Alternatively, depending on the configuration of the disks, oneor more of the disks 30 may be flipped so that a different side of thedisk 30 faces upward. The various disks 30 can be stacked (e.g.,vertically) so that they form one or more sets of stacked disks 30. Forinstance, the disks 30 in the set may be grouped together as a set ofdisks such as by being spaced more closely to each other than they arerelative to other disks in the stack. Of course, there may be at leastsome space or clearance between adjacent disks 30 so that the disks 30will be able to rotate, and to allow the star wheel 20 to be cleaned inthe spaces between the disks 30.

In the embodiment shown, the disks 30A and 30G shown in FIGS. 7A and 7G,respectively, have a first configuration. In addition, both of thesedisks are oriented so that the same side of the disks faces upward, andtheir respective control surfaces 60A and 60G contact the trailingportion of the bottle 22. Disks 30B and 30H also have the firstconfiguration, but they are flipped so that a different side of thedisks faces upward in the star wheel conveyor 20. The same side of theprojections 58 forms the control surfaces 60B and 60H, respectively, ondisks 30B and 30H, but in this case, control surfaces 60B and 60Hcontact the leading portion of the bottle 22. Disks 30C and 30E shown inFIGS. 7C and 7E, respectively, have a second configuration. Disks 30Cand 30E are oriented so that one side their projections 58 form controlsurfaces 60C and 60E that contact the trailing portion of the bottle 22.Disks 30D and 30F also have the second configuration, but they areflipped so that a different side of the disks faces upward in the starwheel conveyor 20. The same side of projections 58 of disks 30D and 30Fform control surfaces 60D and 60F, but in the case of disks 30D and 30F,they contact the leading portion of the bottle 22.

The disks 30 may be arranged in any suitable order, and any combinationof disks may be grouped to form a set of disks. As shown in FIGS. 6 and8, in this particular embodiment, these eight disks 30 are arranged intwo vertically stacked sets of four disks, with disks 30A to 30D formingan upper set of disks and disks 30E to 30H forming a lower set of disks.In the embodiment shown, the disks 30 are arranged to have the controlsurfaces 60 that describe the width W of the bottle pocket (30A, 30B,30G, and 30H) at the highest and lowest points of the stack of disks tomaximize control of the bottle 22 against tipping. The two sets ofdisks, thus, form pockets 50 that fully support the article 22 beingconveyed at two general elevations. The control surfaces 60 thatdescribe the depth D of the bottle pocket (30C, 30D, 30E, and 30F) areplaced in the middle.

FIGS. 7A to 7H show the control surfaces 60 of the rotatable disks 30 ingreater detail. The control surfaces 60 may be in any suitableconfiguration. The control surfaces 60 may have a plan viewconfiguration when looking at the disk 30 from above that has arectilinear (straight line) configuration, a curvilinear configuration,or combinations of rectilinear and curvilinear segments. If the controlsurfaces are comprised of curvilinear segments, they may be concave orconvex with respect to the article 22 being conveyed. The configurationof each of control surfaces 60 on a given rotatable element 30 may bethe same, or different.

As shown in FIGS. 7A to 7H, the disks 30A-30H comprise control surfaces60A-60H that comprise at least a portion that may be described relativeto an angle A the control surfaces 60 make with a radial line, R,extending from the center 52 of the disks 30. As shown in the drawings,there is tangent line T that passes through the tangent point (or“contact point”) P where the control surface 60 contacts the article,bottle 22. In cases where the control surface 60 does not actuallycontact the article 22, then “contact point” P will be the nearest pointon the control surface 60 to the article 22. The radial line R is drawnthrough the intersection of the tangent line T and a circle, C, that isdrawn through the outer diameter of the disk (e.g., a circle that passesthrough the tips of the star). As shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D, the angle Amay be measured by turning in either direction relative to the radialline R, provided that angle A is turned in the direction of the largestportion of the cross-section of the article 22. Angle A can be anysuitable angle from greater than or equal to about 0 degrees relative tothe radial line R, up to less than about 90 degrees. A typical value forangle A is from about 30 to about 75 degrees. A larger angle betterdefines the depth of the pocket and a smaller angle reduces the amountof rotation of the disk required to adjust pocket depth. It will beappreciated that in certain cases, such as if the control surface 60 isconcave, or otherwise configured to more closely fit the shape of thecross-section of the article 22 being conveyed, that the control surface60 may contact the article at multiple points. In such a case, if therelationship described in any of the appended claims is present withrespect to any of such multiple contact points P, then it will beconsidered to fall within the scope of such a claim.

As shown in FIG. 7A, in this embodiment, the first disk 30A comprises afirst control surface 60A that either generally follows radial line R,or forms an angle of slightly greater than about 0 degrees relative tothe radial line, R to provide some draft for easy bottle release. It ispossible for this angle to vary substantially from the radial line aslong as the resulting angle A is less than the angles A shown in 7C and7D. The first control surface 60A is positioned to be disposed adjacentthe downstream side of a three dimensional article 22 when it is in apocket. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” sides of the article 22are dependent on the direction of rotation. In this case, the star wheelrotates clockwise. The upstream side of the article 22 is the leadingportion of the article in the direction of travel. The downstream sideis the trailing portion of the article as it moves in the direction oftravel.

At least one other disk or a second disk, comprises a second controlsurface 60 that comprises at least a portion that is generally disposedat an angle with a radial line R extending from the center 52 of thesecond disk. The second control surface is positioned to be disposedadjacent the upstream side of a three dimensional article 22 when it isin a pocket. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A-7H, the at least oneother disk is the third disk 30C shown in FIG. 7C. As shown therein, theangle A of the control surface 60C on at least one disk 30C other thanthe first disk 30A is different from the angle A of the first controlsurface of the first disk 30A. More particularly, the angle A of thecontrol surface 60 C is greater than the angle A of the control surface60A of disk 30A such that line T will contact the bottle in a differentregion of the bottle than line R. This allows the control surface 60 Cto at least partially form the depth D of at least a portion of thepocket. It should be understood that in the embodiment shown, there areother disks 30 that could be considered to comprise the at least oneother, or second disk.

Another way of describing the relationship between the different contactpoints P on the control surfaces 60 is to measure how far the contactpoints P are from the center 52 of the disks 30. This distance betweenthe center 52 of the disks 30 and the contact points P is taken alongthe radial line R will be referred to as measurement, M. Thus, thedistance M between the center 52 of the disk and the contact point P onat least one disk 30C is less than the distance M between the center 52of the disk 30A and contact point P of a first disk 30A. This allows thecontrol surface 60 C to at least partially form the depth D of at leasta portion of the pocket.

The disks 30 on the star wheel 20 may combine to form any suitablenumber of contact points P with the article 22 being conveyed. Suitablenumbers of contact points include, but are not limited to 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,or more contact points P. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A-7H, eachof the disks 30 may form at least one contact point P with the article22. There are, thus, eight contact points for securing the article 22 ina given pocket 50. Since the disks 30 are arranged in two sets of fourdisks each, there are four contact points P for the article 22 tosupport the article at two different levels. For more simple and stablebottle shapes, contact points at a single elevation with four disks mayprovide adequate control. In any of these embodiments, the star wheel 20may be provided with a mechanism for adjusting the relative height ofone or more of the disks 30 (that is, for adjusting the distance betweenthe plane of the disk 30 and the base plate 32 (or other surface uponwhich the articles are placed)). Such a feature may be of especially ofinterest for the upper disks 30. This will provide the star wheel 20with even more flexibility to handle articles 22 of various differentsizes and shapes.

FIGS. 8 to 8D show how the pairs of the disks 30 combine to form thedifferent portions of a pocket 50. FIG. 8A shows how the projections 58on the bottom pair of disks 30G and 30H combine to form a portion of apocket 50 for bottle 22. FIG. 8B shows how the projections 58 on thenext pair of disks 30E and 30F combine to form another portion of apocket 50 for bottle 22. FIG. 8C shows how the projections 58 on thenext pair of disks 30C and 30D combine to form another portion of apocket 50 for bottle 22. FIG. 8D shows how the projections 58 on the toppair of disks 30A and 30B combine to form the final portion of thepocket 50 for bottle 22.

The adjustable star wheel 20 can be adjusted in any suitable manner toaccommodate articles, such as bottles 22, with different shapes. In theembodiment shown, the width W of the star wheel pocket 50 can beadjusted by rotating disks 30A, 30B, 30G, and 30H. To accommodate awider article, such as bottle 22, disks 30A and 30B are rotated inopposite directions so that the contact points P move away from eachother. The depth D of the star wheel pocket 50 is adjusted by rotatingdisks 30C, 30D, 30E, and 30F. To accommodate a deeper bottle, disks 30C,30D, 30E, and 30F are rotated so that the angled portions of the disksmove away from each other to create a deeper pocket. Often, the crosssectional shape of a bottle will change with elevation. For instance,the bottle 22 might have a wider base and smaller top. In this case, theupper and lower sets of disks can be adjusted independently to create alarge pocket for the bottom and a smaller pocket for the top. Bottlescan also be asymmetric about the vertical central plane. In this case,the disks 30C, 30D, 30E, and 30F with larger angled contact surfaces canbe adjusted to varying depths to create an asymmetric pocket 50. In thisembodiment, adjusting the relative rotation of all eight disks 30creates a fully amorphous star wheel pocket 50 that will adjust tovirtually any article shape and fully supports the article 22 at twoelevations.

As shown and described herein, the boundaries of the pockets 50 may beconfigured solely by at least partially rotating at least some of saiddisks 30 to adjust the angular displacement or location of the controlsurfaces 60 on the different disks. The control surfaces form a pocket50 that is configured to generally follow the contour of the threedimensional article being conveyed. The position of the disks 30 is thenfixed before rotating the star wheel conveyor 20 to transport thearticles 22. All of the adjustments to set the width W and depth D ofthe pockets 50 are made by rotational movement around the central axis,shaft 36. The star wheel conveyor 20 may, therefore, be free of elementsthat are axially movable inwardly and outwardly (that is, inwardly andoutwardly movable in the general direction of the radial line R) to formthe boundaries of the pocket. The star wheel conveyor 20 may also befree of grippers or elements that have a pivoting axis that pivot abouta point that is at a location other than the axis of rotation of thestar wheel or that of the rotatable elements 30. The adjustable starwheel conveyor 20, thus, has relatively few moving parts, and theadjustment of the width and depth of the pockets can be controlled by asingle mechanism.

The mechanism 40 for adjusting the configuration of the pockets 50 canbe manually adjustable or automatically adjustable. FIGS. 1-8 and 10show one non-limiting embodiment of an automatic mechanism 40 foradjusting the configuration of the pockets 50. The mechanism 40comprises at least one motor 42 having a drive shaft 46 that drives atleast one pinion (or “first gear”) 38 to turn one or more of the disks30. More specifically, in this embodiment, there are eight small gearmotors 42 that through the drive shafts 46 drive eight pinions 38 thatare each geared to one of the eight disks 30. Any suitable type of motorcan be used. Suitable types of motors include, but are not limited to:gear motors, servo motors, stepper motors, DC motors, hydraulic motors,and air motors. The term “gear motors”, as used herein, refers to motorshaving a gear box. The motors 42 may be in any suitable location. In theembodiment shown, the motors are on top of top plate 34. The motors areeach operatively connected to one of the drive shafts 46.

The pinion gears 38 can mate with gears (or “second gears”) 48 locatedon the disks 30. The gears 48 may be in any suitable location on orwithin the disks 30. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A-7H, in this embodiment,each of the disks 30 has one or more arcuate holes 70 cut into the same.The disks 30 can be provided with any suitable number of arcuate holes70. In this particular embodiment, each of the disks 30 has eightarcuate holes 70 therein. The arcuate holes 70 are arrangedintermittently in the configuration of a circle that is located betweenthe center 52 and the periphery 54 of the disks 30. In the embodimentshown, the gears 48 on the disks 30 are located at least partiallywithin the arcuate holes 70. In other words, the gears 48 are affixed tothe portion of the disks 30 that define the boundaries of the arcuateholes 70. The disks 30 may each have one or more sets of gears 48thereon. However, in this embodiment, each disk 30 only has one set ofgears 48 in one of the arcuate holes 70. The other arcuate holes 70 haveno gears in their interior, and are provided simply to permit the driveshafts 46 and pinions for the other disks 30 to pass through the disksas shown in FIG. 6. The gears 48 on the disks 30 can be formed in anysuitable manner. The gear teeth in the disks 30 can be formed by waterjet cutting the disk material as shown in the drawings, or by installinghardened gear inserts in the disks 30.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the positions of each of thedisks 30 is adjusted when the associated motor 42 rotates its shaft andturns its pinion 38, which in turn is engaged with the gears 48 on thedisk 30 and rotates the disk 30 so that its contact surface 60 is in thedesired position. The illustrated embodiment shows one motor 42positioning each disk 30. In alternative embodiments, one motor 42 canbe configured to position two or more disks 30. This can be accomplishedby axially shifting the pinion 38 (that is, moving the pinion 38 in adirection parallel to the hub 36) between the gears 48 of multiple disks30.

The motors 42 are typically powered by electric current. Wires mayprovide current from a source of electric current to the motor to powerthe motors 42. In one embodiment, the motor position is controlled by acontroller. The system for controlling the motors 42 can be in the formof a closed loop control system that provides feedback to the controllerof the true motor position with a measurement device such as an encoderor resolver. However, in other embodiments, the desired position can becommanded to an open loop device such as a stepper motor withoutposition feedback. Additional wires can be used to transmit the feedbackof motor and/or disk position to the controller. The computer and/orcontroller can be located remotely from the star wheel 20 and cancommunicate electrically via slip rings or other means of commutationthat allow relative rotation motion between the star wheel 20 and thecontroller. Alternatively, the star wheel 20 can be rotated and stoppedat a position that enables it to be contacted by electrical contacts.Communication is also possible between a computer and a controller ormotor drive rotating with the star wheel 20 by wireless means usingradio frequency, light, or sound. Power can be supplied to the drivemotors by batteries rotating with the star wheel or can be transmittedfrom the base machine by commutation or induction.

Alternatively, to provide a manually adjustable mechanism, the motors 42may be replaced with a manual hand crank, a manually adjusted gearboxwith a counter, a manually adjusted counter, etc.

In addition to the pinion gear adjustment mechanism described above, anumber of other adjustment mechanisms exist for either automatic ormanual adjustment. One low cost manual adjustment option is shown inFIGS. 11-14. In this embodiment, holes 70 are provided in the top plate34 and all the disks 30. The holes 70 can be in any suitableconfiguration. Portions of the disks 30 define the boundaries of theholes 70. In the embodiment shown, the holes are in the form of arcuateslots 70. An identical slot 70 is cut into each disk 30; however therelative angle between each slot and projection 58 will vary for eachdisk to create the desired pocket 50 when all of the slots 70 arevertically aligned. The arcuate slots 70 are concentric with the axis ofrotation, and can be vertically aligned to create a specific size pocket50. In other embodiments, the holes 70 need not be arcuate orconcentric. In other embodiments, the slots 70 in the disks 30 can, forexample, have a dog bone or a FIG. 8 shape.

A tapered element, such as spade-shaped tapered pin 72 can be pushedinto the slots 70. This will exert a force on the portions of the disksthat define the boundaries of the slots 70 and cause the disks 30 torotate so that the slots 70 align. As shown in the drawings, thespade-shaped tapered pin 72 is wider at the top (or proximal end) andnarrower at the distal end that is first inserted into the slots. Thetapered pin 72 may be tapered from a wider to narrower width along atleast part of that portion of its length that contacts the disks 30 whenthe tapered pin 72 is inserted into the slots 70. In the embodimentshown in the drawings, the tapered pin 72 is tapered along substantiallyits entire length. The tapered pin 72 has a handle 74 on top thereof,and a restraint 76 to which the tapered pin 72 and handle 74 are joined.The restraint 76 serves to limit the depth to which the tapered pin 72can be inserted. Pushing the tapered pin 72 into one of the slots 70will select the size and shape of a pocket 50 for one size and shape ofarticle 22 to be conveyed. The different slots 70 on the uppermost disk30A and the slots that lie vertically underneath on the underlying disksdiffer in that each will align to create a different shape and/or sizepocket 50. Pushing the pin 72 through another slot 70 will at leastpartially rotate the disks 30 to adjust the pocket control surfaces toaccommodate another bottle of another pre-selected shape and/or size.(Thus, one does not need to manually rotate and align holes in the disksbefore inserting the pin.) Either the tapered pin 72 or other mechanicalclamps can be used to lock the shape of the pocket 50 in place beforethe star wheel 20 rotates to convey the articles 22. Disks 30 can be cutwith multiple slots 70 to define multiple pre-determined articleconfigurations. Many articles can be accommodated by distributing theslots 70 on the surfaces of the disks 30 and in multiple bands atdifferent radii.

FIGS. 15-21 show another alternative embodiment for adjustment of thestar wheel 20 for different size and/or shape articles 22. In thisembodiment, the disks 30 each have several holes 80 formed therein. Thedisks 30 can have any suitable number, size and shape of holes 80 formedtherein. In the embodiment shown, each disk 30 has four identical holes80 formed therein. The holes 80 shown are spaced equally around thedisks 30 and are located between the center 52 and the periphery 54 ofthe disks 30. The holes 80 in this embodiment are generallytrapezoid-shaped. However, the base and top of the trapezoid shapedholes 80 are arcuate, and the sides of the trapezoid shape holes 80 aregenerally linear.

In this embodiment, changes to the size and/or shape of the pockets 50are made using the manually adjusted quick change elements, which may bein the form of keys 82. As shown in FIG. 19, the key 82 and has a shaft84 with one or more elements such as cams or lobes 86 projectingtherefrom. In this particular embodiment, each key 82 has eightlobe-shaped cams 86, one for engaging each of the eight disks 30 andmoving them to the desired angular position. The keys 82 may optionallyeach comprise a handle 88 and a restraint 90 joined to the shaft 84. Thehandle 88 provides a convenient way for the operator to apply torque tothe key 82 and then to lock the key in the desired position. It is alsodesigned to make it easy to pull a key 82 in and out. The handle 88 mayalso have an optional locking mechanism, such as a locking trigger 92thereon.

The number of different keys 82 can be any number greater than one.FIGS. 15 and 16 show four keys 82 for this particular star wheel 20. Inthe embodiment shown, there are four different keys 82A, 82B, 82C, and82D, one for each of the holes 80. FIGS. 17 and 21 show one of the keys82C in an engaged position. FIGS. 18 and 20 show one of the keys 82D ina disengaged position. In FIG. 20, the longer dimension of lobe-shapedcams 86 is pointed toward the viewer. The cams 86 are, thus, not seen asmating with the disks 30 in FIG. 20 since the width of these cams 86when viewed from this angle is essentially the same as that of the shaft84. Typically, only one of the keys 82 will be engaged when the starwheel 20 is in use.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-21, to make a change in the sizeand/or shape of the pockets 50 to change from one size and/or shapebottle 22 to a different size and/or shape bottle 22, the followingsequence is generally followed. The operator squeezes the lockingtrigger 92 of the handle 88 to unlock the key 82 that is currentlyengaged. The operator turns the key 82 counter clockwise to disengagethe cams 86 on the key 82. When the locking trigger 92 is released, thespring loaded lock prevents further unintended rotation of the key 82.Next, if the key that describes the next bottle size is not installed,the operator installs the desired key 82 by plugging it into any one ofthe holes 80 (moving another key out of the way first if needed). Forthe key that describes the next desired bottle, the operator squeezesthe locking trigger 92 to unlock the handle and turns the key 82clockwise to engage the cams 86 with the disks 30. The cams 86 engagethe star wheel disks 30 and move the star wheel disks 30 to the desiredlocations. When the locking trigger 92 is released, a spring loaded lockprevents further unintended rotation of the key.

Numerous variations of this embodiment are possible. For example, inother embodiments, the star wheel 20 can be designed to hold fewer ormore keys. In the case with four keys, if a fifth bottle is desired, onekey can be removed and a newly-designed fifth key can be installed. Thisprovides flexibility for future articles that may not have beencontemplated when the equipment was originally designed.

The reconfigurable star wheel 20 may be adjusted for a new shape and/orsize article 22 manually, at least partially automatically, or ifdesired, fully automatically with the touch of a button. For instance,the adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 may be part of a system thatfurther comprises a computer 26. The computer 26 can be provided with acomputer-aided design (“CAD”) program in which the CAD program containsthe dimensions of a three dimensional article 22 at levels or elevationscorresponding to each of the disks 30. The CAD program can be used todetermine the necessary rotational angle for each of the disks 30 tocreate a pocket 50 to support the desired bottle geometry. The processof using the CAD program to determine the star wheel adjustment settingcan be automated. For example, the operator can simply input a bottlefile into the computer 26 and the automated program will automaticallyrotate the disks 30 to determine the correct settings. This is muchfaster than an operator manually manipulating the star wheel 20 andbottle models to determine the correct star wheel settings. The computer26 can be in communication with the control system that controls theadjustment mechanism, such as the motors 42 to adjust the rotational (orangular) position of each of the star wheel disks 30 to create thepockets 50 to accommodate the dimensions of a three dimensional article22. The “angular” position of the disks refers to the angle which thedisks are rotated relative to an initial position. The CAD program canalso be used to generate a table or list of numbers that describe a listof motor positions for each of the star wheel disks 30. This list ofpositions can be uploaded or manually entered into a programmable logiccontroller (PLC) that controls the position of each motor 42. Aprogrammable logic controller is a digital computer used for automationof electromechanical processes. The PLC may be a separate device, or itmay be incorporated into the computer 26 shown in the drawings. Such anautomatic adjustment system is not limited to use with the universallyadjustable star wheel conveyors described herein, and may be used withstar wheels having any suitable configuration.

The CAD program can alternatively be used to enable manual adjustment ofthe star wheel 20. For example, in the gear embodiment shown in FIGS.1-8 and 10, the CAD program can provide a list of numbers that are theadjustment settings for the manual adjustment of the rotational angle ofeach disk 30. For the wedge mechanism shown in FIGS. 11-14, the CADprogram can be used to define the slot geometry. For the cam keymechanism shown in FIGS. 15-21, the CAD program can be used to designthe geometry of the key.

The adjustable star wheel conveyor 20 can be provided with a componentto counter the centrifugal force that tends to make the articles 22 moveout of the pockets 50 when the star wheel 20 rotates in order to retainthe articles 22 in position in the star wheel conveyor 20. Componentssuitable for this purpose include, but are not limited to, adjustableradius guide rails, vacuum cups, and belts.

FIGS. 22-26 show one non-limiting example of a flexible adjustable guiderail assembly 24 to use with the star wheel 20. The adjustable guiderail assembly 24 comprises a base plate or frame 98, an arcuate flexiblebeam or rail 100 which is adjusted by a guide rail adjustment mechanism102. The flexible rail 100 is adjusted to conform to a constant radiusR1 that establishes the outer path of a bottle or other article 22 heldin an adjustable star wheel 20. The guide rail adjustment system 102 canbe in any suitable form that is capable of bending the flexible rail 100into different radii. The radius R1 of the arc may need to be adjustedto accommodate different bottle depths to ensure that the center of thebottle neck will travel along the same arcuate path. This may beimportant in order to allow the neck of the bottles to line up with aliquid filler/capper. The flexible rail 100 has a fixed length L. Theflexible rail 100 can be bent to conform to different radii R1. In orderto do so, the length L of the flexible rail 100 must be allowed to floator move in order to accommodate the bending. The flexible rail 100 canbe attached to the radius adjustment mechanism 102 at one point and thelength allowed to float at other points. The center of the arc followedby the flexible rail 100 is maintained so it is concentric with the starwheel 20.

The flexible rail 100 can be made of any suitable material orcombination of materials that can be bent to conform to an arcuate shapeof varying diameter. The flexible rail 100 can, for example, be madefrom: a thermoplastic such as acetyl or ultra high molecular weightpolyethylene (UHMW); a metal such as stainless steel; or a compositesuch as carbon or fiberglass fibers embedded in a resin, a metal beamcovered by a low friction plastic covering, or wood.

In the embodiment shown, the guide rail adjustment system 102 comprises:an arcuate cam plate 104 having angled slots 106 therein; at least oneadjustable connecting mechanism 108 for connecting the flexible rail 100to the cam plate 104; and, a manual adjustment control or automaticadjustment control 110. The adjustable connection mechanisms 108comprise: slotted links 112 that are joined to the flexible rail 100;inner pins 114 disposed within the slotted links 112; control links 116that join the inner pins 114 to the follower pins 118 movably disposedin the angled slots 106 of the cam plate 104; and, a fixed inner pin120.

The adjustment control 110 may comprise any suitable type of manual orautomatic adjustment mechanism for changing the radius R1 of theflexible rail 100. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, an automaticadjustment mechanism is shown which comprises: a plurality of teeth 122on the arcuate cam plate 104; a gear 124; a shaft 126; and a motor 130.Such an automatic adjustment control 110 may, but need not, be linked toa computer, such as the computer 26 that establishes the configurationof the pockets 50 of the star wheel 20 for a particular size and shapearticle 22. In such a case, the computer 26 could be programmed to movethe automatic adjustment control 110 to adjust the adjustable guide rail24 to the desired radius R1 desired for the article 22 defined in theCAD program.

The adjustable guide rail 24 functions as follows. A motor 130 or amanual adjustment knob (which would replace the motor) adjusts therotational position of the cam plate 104. The angled slots 106 on thecam plate 104 force the follower pins 118 on control links 116 in andout on a co-radial path. The inner pins 114 on the control links 116form a variable arc. The inner pins 114 are connected to the flexiblerail 100 by the slotted links 112. These slotted links 112 allow theflexible rail 100 to float along its length as the radius R1 isadjusted. One point 120 along the flexible rail 100 will be pinned tothe control link 116. In the example illustration, the center of theflexible rail 100 is pinned to the control link 116 by fixed pin 120,and the ends of the flexible rail 100 are allowed to float. The pinnedposition 120 can be relocated to, for instance, one end to preventmovement of the flexible rail 100 at this end.

Such an adjustable guide rail 24 is not limited to use with theuniversally adjustable star wheel conveyors 20 described herein, and maybe used with star wheels having any suitable configuration.

In an alternative embodiment, vacuum cups located on the rotatableelements 30 (such as in the recesses 56) can be used to retain thearticles 22 in place instead of an adjustable guide rail 24. The timingof the vacuum cups for transfer of the bottles or other articles 22 canbe controlled by a programmable logic controller (“PLC”), or by valvesthat are actuated by the star wheel position.

The adjustable star wheel 20 may provide a number of advantages. Itshould be understood, however, that such advantages are not required tobe provided unless included in the appended claims. In the embodimentshown, the pockets 50 created by adjusting eight independent disks 30may provide more flexibility to accommodate various shapes and/or sizesof articles than star wheels described in the patent literature.Independent adjustment of pocket width versus pocket depth with theramp-shaped pockets 50 (when viewed in plan view) provides more touchpoints and improved control of bottle position. Independent adjustmentof the pocket 50 on each side of the bottle 22 can accommodateasymmetrical bottle shapes. These pockets 50 are infinitely adjustableto any current or future bottle shape versus being adjustable to alimited number of articles of predetermined shapes.

The independent upper and lower four disk stack elevations are able tomaintain the vertical axis of bottles or other articles withnon-constant cross-sections. Some examples of such articles are bottleswith bases larger than their tops or with bases smaller than their tops.The articles also need not have a flat bottom. Tottles (bottles shapedlike a tube with no flat bottom) can be transported and controlled.Bottles with an angled neck can be supported with the neck vertical andthe body maintained at a non vertical angle.

A design with concentric disks is simple and relatively inexpensive tomanufacture and maintain. No complex mechanism is required to achieveamorphous shape capacity and adjustable pocket depth. It is practical toadjust this system either using manual or fully automatic means. Fullyautomatic adjustment enables a size and/or shape change driven fully bythe command of online software.

Numerous other embodiments are possible. As shown in FIG. 27, in oneembodiment, a system is provided comprising a pair of adjustable starwheels 20A and 20B wherein the star wheels are adjacent, and inoperation said star wheels rotate in opposite directions so that onestar wheel can transfer a three dimensional article to the other starwheel. The pockets can be adjusted differently for alternating starwheels to handle asymmetrical articles.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood asbeing strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead,unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean boththe recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding thatvalue. For example, a dimension disclosed as “90 degrees” is intended tomean “about 90 degrees”.

It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation giventhroughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation,as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein.Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specificationwill include every higher numerical limitation, as if such highernumerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numericalrange given throughout this specification will include every narrowernumerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as ifsuch narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, inrelevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of anydocument is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior artwith respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning ordefinition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaningor definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, themeaning or definition assigned to the term in this written documentshall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of automatically adjusting an adjustablestar wheel for conveying three dimensional articles within pockets alongan arcuate path, wherein the adjustable star wheel comprises stackedconcentric rotatable elements having a center and peripheries, andcomprising control surfaces that define the boundaries of said pockets,wherein the pockets defined by control surfaces of said rotatableelements have an adjustable configuration to accommodate different sizeand/or shape three dimensional articles, and an adjustment mechanism foradjusting the configuration of the pockets by adjusting the relativeangular position between rotatable elements, the method comprising:providing a computer with a computer-aided design software program, saidcomputer being in communication with the adjustment mechanism, andproviding a model of the adjustable star wheel including rotatableelements and control surfaces in said computer-aided design software;providing a model of the three dimensional article within thecomputer-aided design software; adjusting the relative angles of themodel of the rotatable elements to enable the control surfaces tocooperate with the model of the three dimensional article and form apocket to support the three dimensional article within saidcomputer-aided design software; and adjusting the relative angles of therotatable elements of the adjustable star wheel to match theconfiguration of the model of the rotatable elements determined tosupport the model of the three dimensional article in the computer-aideddesign software.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustmentmechanism comprises at least one motor, and adjusting the relativeangles of the rotatable elements is accomplished by using one or moremotors to independently rotate the individual rotatable elements.
 3. Themethod of claim 2 wherein adjusting the relative angles of the rotatableelements is automatically accomplished by a control system whichcommands the motor to rotate a rotatable element to a predeterminedangular position.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the predeterminedangular position for the rotatable element is input to the motor controlsystem by a human operator.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the motorcontrol system communicates directly with the computer-aided designsoftware to provide a commanded position for rotatable elements.
 6. Themethod of claim 2 wherein the motor is mechanically coupled to a firstgear and a mating second gear is mechanically coupled to one of saidrotatable elements, and the first gear is a gear that can be turned bythe motor to rotate the second gear and the corresponding rotatableelement.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the relative anglesof the rotatable elements is accomplished by manual adjustment.
 8. Themethod of claim 1 wherein adjusting the relative angles of the model ofthe rotatable elements to enable control surfaces to cooperate with themodel of the three dimensional article and form the pocket to supportthe three dimensional article within said computer-aided design softwareis autonomously carried out by the software without the need for a humanoperator.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the motor control systemcommunicates directly with the software that autonomously adjusted themodel of the rotatable elements using computer-aided design software toprovide commanded position for rotatable elements.